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Thursday, February 25, 2010

US Agents not Involved in Mexico Drug Fight

DPA

Mexico City - The Mexican government denied a report published Wednesday by The Washington Post which says that US police officers were to take part in the fight against drug traffickers within Mexico. The Post reported that the US planned to embed American intelligence agents into Mexican law enforcement units "to help pursue drug cartel leaders and their hit men" in Mexico's most violent city, Ciudad Juarez.

The reportoperating in the most violent city in Mexico, according to US and Mexican officials," The Washington Post reported Wednesday, with reference to Ciudad Juarez.

The northern Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez, in the state of Chihuahua, is regarded as the most violent in Mexico with more than 2,600 killings in 2009.

The Mexican Interior Ministry issued a statement denying the report.

"Actions of cooperation (between Mexico and the United States) by no means imply that officials from other countries carry out in ours actions that the law restricts to Mexican authorities. Even less are they embedded in Mexican operational units," the ministry said.

"International cooperation is a factor to complement national efforts in that matter, which contributes to achieving success due to the global nature of the threat itself," the Interior Ministry added.

In recent months, under US President Barack Obama, Mexico and the United States have increased cooperation with a view to combatting the powerful drug gangs.

Mexico had long demanded greater efforts from the United States, the main market for the illegal drugs that go through Mexico and also the origin of the firearms that fuel gang-related violence south of the border.

The Mexican Interior Ministry again stressed that the two governments are working together based on "shared responsibility, mutual trust, reciprocity and respect for each country's jurisdiction."